


awakening

by Bleutea



Series: Dragonsouls [1]
Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Dragons, F/F, Gen, Magic, Multi, kingdom setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25293244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleutea/pseuds/Bleutea
Summary: “You’re Siyeon! The one I’m supposed to guard!” Minji didn't even care that Yoohyeon jabbed her elbow into her ribs for her lack of manners towards the princess. She was just happy at meeting her charge. Siyeon noted that her eyes shined with so much life and enthusiasm. But there was also something powerful, something primal hidden in there.
Relationships: Kim Minji | JiU/Lee Siyeon
Series: Dragonsouls [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854013
Comments: 22
Kudos: 56





	1. meeting

“Nervous?”

“Yes. I’ve never seen a manakete up close. Much less have one assigned to me.” Siyeon’s leg had a mind of its own and started bouncing up and down. 

“Siyeon, stop that. It’s unbecoming of the princess of the realm.” Yubin said without even looking at Siyeon. She was awaiting the arrival of the kingdom’s finest manakete knight along with the princess. 

“Say, Cap, have you ever met this Minji person?” Siyeon heard tales about the manakete knight from other gossiping guardsmen but they often sounded like tall tales. If there was a person she could trust in the castle for reliable information, it was the head of the Knights, Captain Lee Yubin. 

“No. She has been out on the field since the day she was deployed. In which case, I’ve been told that her manners are...lacking. So please excuse any sort of strange behavior she may exhibit.” Yubin crossed her arms behind her back, wondering when the convoy was coming. They said that they were going to be here around high noon but there’s only a few minutes left to that time and no carriage in sight. 

“She’s a manakete so I don’t think human standards apply to her...” Siyeon tilted her head in thought. manaketes were rarely spotted on human lands so it came as a surprise when Minji offered to join the kingdom’s military ranks. Siyeon was too young when she joined so she had only heard rumours as to why. Some say that Minji was running away from home, others say that Minji was offered as a bargaining chip from the dragon tribes to win the favor of the king. 

Yubin hummed idly. She resisted the urge to tap her foot in annoyance. Were these people ever going to show up? Just as she was going to dismiss Siyeon back inside the castle for some cool air, a burst of wind whipped up loose debris. Yubin pulled Siyeon behind her as she could see something approaching fast from the horizon. 

It was approaching way too fast to be a normal carriage - in fact, it was flying towards them. Yubin drew her sword and shield, bracing herself. “Get back inside the castle!” The body of a black dragon came up to them before Siyeon could even turn tail. 

It was the most majestic creature Siyeon had ever seen. The dragon was easily over 6 feet in height and in length. It’s scales were somewhere between obsidian and dark purple, reminding Siyeon of purple lily flowers. The mouth was opened, revealing razor sharp teeth that looked like it could cut through anything. But most of all, the eyes were a beautiful sky blue. It was like someone carved out the sky and kept it in a crystal sphere.

However, her reverie was broken by the most ungraceful landing she had ever witnessed. The dragon came to a halt a few feet away from them before scraping its claws on the ground. The landing didn't go as planned and the dragon tumbled for a bit before black smoke began to fill the air. Two tall women stumbled out of the smoke, one of them immediately retching in the rose bush nearby while the other grinned happily. 

“Nailed that landing!” The woman said with the brightest smile on her face. Her purple hair and eyes were the same color as the dragon. She was barefoot with a black bodysuit and cloak over her form. Absently, Siyeon realized that this person was the manakete, Kim Minji. 

The dragon’s companion stopped throwing up to glare at her. “Did not! I told you you were going too fast!” She said weakly before throwing up some more. Kim Minji laughed without care and stalked over to hold her companion’s hair up while she emptied her stomach. 

Yubin lowered her sword upon realizing that these people were the envoy she was supposed to receive. Already, she could feel a headache coming on. The duo smelled like nothing but trouble for the castle. “If you two are done doing...whatever, there’s food and medicine in the castle.”

The two tall women approach the Captain and the princess. “You must be Kim Minji and Kim Yoohyeon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Yubin visibly grimaced at the bush Yoohyeon ruined. “I am Lee Yubin, Captain of the Knights. This is princess Lee Siyeon.”

When Siyeon made eye contact with her new bodyguard, she knew she was doomed. Minji smiled at hearing her name. “You’re Siyeon! The one I’m supposed to guard!” Minji didn't even care that Yoohyeon jabbed her elbow into her ribs for her lack of manners towards the princess. She was just happy at meeting her charge. Siyeon noted that her eyes shined with so much life and enthusiasm. But there was also something powerful, something primal hidden in there.

Siyeon gulped. 

\--

“Wow, I’ve never been in the main wing of the castle before!” Minji marveled at all the fancy and expensive decor lining the halls. She even saw some artifacts from the dragon tribes. A blue sphere, in particular, caught her attention. She reached out to it, only to be smacked by Yoohyeon. 

“Minji, we talked about this. Keep the greed to a minimum.” Yoohyeon warned, though she knew that it wasn’t going to be easy for Minji to suppress her nature. The castle was full of shiny gold and blue things that Minji would just love to horde but thankfully, Minji was a little more potty-trained than that. 

The group entered the dining hall full of food already laid out on the long table. At the head of the table was the king, the queen, and the other princess. Yoohyeon grabbed Minji’s hand before the manakete could throw herself at all the assorted food. She had to admit though, the prospect of not eating military rations made her mouth water too. But first, respect to the ruling family. 

“Welcome.” The king’s deep voice greeted the newcomers. Yubin bowed her head respectfully before exiting the room. Yoohyeon copied the Captain’s bow and had to push the back of Minji’s head down as well. “Please, have a seat, you must be hungry from your long trip.”

Siyeon led them to their seats before taking hers next to her younger sister. Minji didn't waste any time and began eating at a rapid rate. It amused Siyeon greatly because the people in the castle always behaved carefully around her. It was refreshing to see someone that was out of the ordinary. She actually started laughing when she saw the look on her father’s face. Her mother and Gahyeon just smiled. 

Yoohyeon sighed and smiled wryly to the others. “As human as she appears to be, she still is a dragon through and through. Please understand.”

The king shook his head, offering a kind smile in return. “Not at all, Grandmaster Kim. After everything the both of you have done for this kingdom, a little understanding is the least I can offer.”

Yoohyeon grimaced at her title. “Please, just Yoohyeon and Minji will suffice.”

“As you say. Anyways, as we eat, we can discuss your new assignments here.” The sounds of food being scrapped off the plates and one particular girl slurping up everything without a care in the world could be heard. Dessert came in soon after, served by a short girl with dark brown hair. 

She served a tray of delectables before looking up to make eye contact with Yoohyeon. Recognition passed between them. They both pointed at each other. “Ah, it’s you. The know-it-all.” The patisserie chef sneered. Restrained sneering, of course. She was still in the presence of the royal family after all. 

Minji waved happily. “Hi Bora!”

Bora laughed and waved back, switching her expression back to deadpan when she looked at Yoohyeon again.

“And it’s the baker that swindled us out of our bread.” Yoohyeon crossed her arms.

“Hey! I already explained that it was a misunderstanding-”

“Girls...” The queen’s soft voice interrupted. They both apologized and the chef left the dining room. 

“You know Bora?” Gahyeon leaned forward in her seat to talk to Yoohyeon and Minji. 

“You could say we had a run-in a few kingdoms across...” Time passed with idle chatter about the newcomers’ experiences across the lands. Gahyeon in particular, was especially eager to learn more about the world since she has never left the kingdom. With the threat of war on the horizon, it became difficult to even leave the castle grounds, much less leave the island. 

“I’d love to learn more about weaving! I’m training with the castle’s weavers but I’d love to learn from the Grandmaster herself!” Gahyeon said, barely containing her excitement.

“Now Gahyeon, Yoohyeon has the duty as Minji’s Kin and Minji is here to guard Siyeon. You already have Captain Lee guarding you. Not to mention your studies. Teacher Han tells me that you are making excellent progress. One day, you’ll be able to rule in my place.”

Gahyeon visibly deflated with a pout. Siyeon rubbed the back of her head in consolation. “Speaking of which,” Minji spoke up for the first time after she was done inhaling the dessert. “we were called back for war?” 

The room fell silent. Everyone was kind of skirting around the topic for a while now but trust Minji to be straightforward about it. Yoohyeon leaned back in her seat, unhappy. “Yes, please do explain.”

The king cleared his throat. “The savages up north have been actively disrupting activity in our waters. Neighboring towns are being raided. Ships are prevented from entering our ports. Reports of missing people are numerous. A few days ago, some of our guardsmen died from assassins. If it weren’t for Captain Lee, they may have breached the castle grounds. Intelligence suggests that they are gearing up for all out war.” He spat, voice full of hatred. His people were being slaughtered left and right, all for the sake of gold.

“So they know where to strike. Can’t really say they are savages if they are resourceful enough to get this close to the royal family-” A scout interrupted Yoohyeon. 

“Another group of assassins have been spotted near the docks! Captain Lee is already heading there on horse!”

“Very well. Grandmaster Kim, manakete, your first task will be to put down these assassins. Dead or alive, it does not matter.” The king commanded. The two stood up with a different glint in their eyes. Before they left, Minji turned to address Siyeon. 

“Would you like to come watch?” She asked, surprising everyone. 

“Eh?”

“Would you like to come watch your new guards in action?”

\--

Siyeon was currently gripping the saddle for dear life. When she agreed to come watch, she didn't think they meant on  _ top of Minji’s dragon form _ . The air on top was much thinner, making it hard for her to breath but Yoohyeon seemed to be doing just fine. The Grandmaster was probably very used to it, considering she was Minji’s Kin. 

Yoohyeon glanced back at the princess, who looked like she was one shade away from turning green. “We’ll lower the altitude once we get closer to the docks!” She yelled over the turbulence. Taking pity on Siyeon, Yoohyeon casted a gravity-reverse spell to make her think that her body wasn’t being crushed by the earth’s pressure. “Hold on to the saddle!”

Minji dived straight 90-degrees after she saw their destination. Guardsmen in the white uniform were engaging men in black. Minji roared and spit out fire, incinerating a few enemies. A few enemy weavers attempted to shoot down Minji with their spells but they just bounced off her scales uselessly. “Minji, you stay here and watch the princess. I will engage the hostiles.” Yoohyeon said in a different tongue. Minji grunted in affirmation and brought herself a little higher from the conflict. Spells were the only thing that could reach Siyeon from this height and Minji has total immunity from magic. It was the perfect defense. 

The Grandmaster stood on the saddle, pulling one arm back as if she were about to shoot arrows. The other was pointing at a few enemy suits. Siyeon watched in awe as Yoohyeon muttered a spell in a different language while her hands released a series of white strings binding together - the sign of a weaver spell. However, Yoohyeon weaved them at a rate that Siyeon’s eyes could not follow, making it seem like the bow appeared out of thin air. A rain of threaded arrows was released down below. One avoided getting skewered but the rest of them were not so lucky. Their bloodied bodies hung limply from the holy arrows. Some had surprised expressions etched onto their faces before the light in their eyes was taken forever. 

“Tch. Messy kills.” Yoohyeon muttered darkly. Siyeon was getting freaked out at how different Yoohyeon was speaking. Minji chortled in a way that only dragons could, causing Yoohyeon to break out of her uncharacteristic tone for a moment. “Shut it Min. You missed when you used your fire.” She pouted. 

Mnji made that weird noise again before Yoohyeon conceded. “Alright, alright. Everyone's a critic.” She grumbled. “One is still alive and there are more hiding.” 

So it wasn’t luck that one assassin was able to avoid Yoohyeon’s arrows after all. She purposely missed. Yoohyeon leapt off Minji’s back, free-falling her way down. On her way down she simultaneously shot out cord-type spells, which snaked past all the shipping crates and grabbed the assassin man before he could escape. Siyeon could hear his screams and saw the way his skins were burning from the cords. Another spell slowed Yoohyeon’s descent to land easily on her feet. 

Her first time out seeing violence on her family’s lands would haunt her for days to come. It wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. 

\--

As part of the ruling family, her mother always stressed that it was important to find ways to destress. Gahyeon loved to do relaxing exercises when she had the chance. Their father played several strategy board games with his advisors during his free time. Their mother took delight in baking with the resident head chef, Bora. 

As for herself, Siyeon would meditate in the gardens as often as she could. The sweet smells and quietness of the gardens helped ease her mind. Except this time, her peace and quiet is interrupted by a certain manakete eagerly looking around the garden. 

“Wow! These flowers are so pretty! I’ve never seen them before!” A few seconds later, Minji plucked one. “Are they edible?”

“Minji no!”

Unfortunately, Yoohyeon was on some other duty so she could not accompany (control) Minji at the moment. But if the princess was being honest, it was a relief to her that Minji had some childlike qualities to her. Minji hadn’t done much except breathe fire on the docks and yet, from the sky, Siyeon could see the devastation of the port. From what she heard, it’s still closed off for repairs. She shuddered, imagining what Minji is truly capable of when she wasn’t holding back. 

However, in moments like these, she is reminded that Minji is still a young manakete, by dragon standards. The manakete had been fighting for the kingdom for a very long time so she probably didn't know much about civilian life. Or human life, in general. Siyeon decided that she was going to show Minji that life had more to offer than fighting. Minji herself did seem to be very curious about everything in the castle. 

Siyeon waved her over and patted the space in front of her. Minji sat down with a few lilies in her hands. They were hastily plucked out, judging from the awkwardness of the stems. Some roots were still attached to the bottom of the stems. 

“Minji, you shouldn’t do that to the flowers. They’ll die.” Siyeon berated gently.

Minji tilted her head and looked at the flowers. “They will?”

“Yes. The roots help them get nutrients from the ground. If you pull them out, they’ll die eventually.”

“Oh. I did not know that. There were no flowers alive up in the mountains. They were already trampled or destroyed by the time I got to see them. The dragon tribal lands are also too barren for flowers to grow.”

“How long have you been out there?”

“The mountains? Not long. About 1 year but that’s because Yoohyeon wanted to negotiate for peace. The northern tribesmen attacked us in the middle of the night after signing the treaty so I killed them all.” Minji said that as if she were talking about something mundane. “Yoohyeon was mad at me for a week.”

Siyeon looked down, unsure of how to process that information. It wasn’t everyday that someone casually talked about killing an entire mountain tribe. Especially not in front of her. Still, she had to do something to change the topic. 

“So, um, what do you like to do during your free time?”

Minji hummed with her hand on her chin, thinking. When she came to an answer, she grinned brightly. “Flying! It really is the best thing in the world. Humans are missing out.”

Siyeon mirrored her infectious smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Yoohyeon doesn’t let me do it often but she tries. The night skies are the best when the stars come out! Maybe we can go tonight!” Minji said enthusiastically. 

The castle guards would probably disapprove of such an action, considering how dangerous it is becoming. That and Siyeon was most definitely nauseous on her first flight. “Maybe another time. How about I show you around the castle and around town, if it is permitted?”

“Sure!”

\--

Siyeon came to the conclusion that Minji was an easily impressed manakete. As long as food was involved, Minji would express awe at just about anything. For example, there’s this really ugly statue of the previous queen in the east wing. It was so hideous that none of the castle members dared to make eye contact with it in fear of getting cursed. But when Minji heard that it was actually crafted by an artist that lived off of pickled radish as he sculpted it, she was all too eager to get a closer look. 

By the time they made it to the kitchen, Minji’s stomach was making sounds. The head chef greeted them in her usual boisterous fashion. 

“Sing! And Ji!” Bora tugged them to sit at the dining table reserved for staff. “Just in time for my world famous meat pie. I’m also trying to make a new dessert I learned when I was out west.”

“So we’re your guinea pigs?” Siyeon jested. 

“You should be thankful that you get to taste my cooking everyday, like Minji.” Bora gestured to Minji, who was already halfway through her third pie. “Alright, Ji. No more. That tall brat came by earlier to look for you. Told us to tell you that you need to be at the training grounds. You’ll hurl your lunch if you eat any more and train after.”

Minji pouted, causing Bora to laugh and stroke the top of the manakete’s head. “Don’t pout. You can come by again for dinner.”

After they’ve had their lunch, Siyeon led Minji to the training grounds. The princess doesn’t usually frequent this part of the castle unless it’s to look for Yubin. To her surprise, her little sister was already there as well. The grounds were filled with weavers in their black coats, with Yoohyeon at the very front. 

Gahyeon was eagerly listening to Yoohyeon’s instructions on how to effectively weave an area-type wind spell. “Do not concentrate too much magic in each weave. Instead, allow the power to collectively build as you complete the spell.” The Grandmaster demonstrated the technique with ease, knocking down a few unsuspecting weavers. 

Yoohyeon spotted Minji and beckoned her over. “Minji is going to be your test dummy for the day.” Minji stepped up in front of Yoohyeon, allowing her to tap her temple twice before feeling Yoohyeon’s weaving enter her soul. When she opened her eyes, Yoohyeon’s eyes were reflecting the same sky blue. 

_ Transform. _

It was as instinctive as breathing when Minji allowed her dragonic form to take over. Her size took over a considerable amount of space, forcing the weavers to crowd together on the other side. They, including the two princesses, look at the manakete and grandmaster in awe. Yoohyeon laid a hand on her snout, smiling a bit before dropping her hand. 

“It’s nap time, right? You can sleep while I whip these losers into shape.” Yoohyeon smirked. Minji guffawed, sounding like a stampede of bulls. The manakete curled up around Yoohyeon’s form and closed her eyes. 

“Alright class. Your first task today is to master the wind weaving technique. If you manage to move or wake Minji, you pass.”

As it turned out, every spell they tried on the manakete had no effect. Minji didn’t even flinch or move in her sleep. Siyeon watched as Gahyeon wiped her sweat from her forehead. Her younger sister was very talented in the weaving arts despite her young age and many instructors praised her. 

Yoohyeon was the total opposite. “Come on, princess. That's the best you can do?” The Grandmaster taunted. Gahyeon looked up to the woman but now she was just pissing her off. “Your techniques are too rigid. All of you fight expecting your opponent to stay still for you while you ready your spells. And many of you are too concerned with proper form.” Yoohyeon pointedly glanced at Gahyeon. “In live battle, you would all be walking meat for the killing.”

The tall woman walked up to the Princess and stared her down like she was someone insignificant. With her hands behind her back, she demonstrated the wind weaving crest without actually executing the spell. Gahyeon was amazed at how fast and effortless it looked for the Grandmaster. “You’ll never get to this level if you do not push yourself harder. Or are you just a little pampered princess?”

\--

Minji and Siyeon were accompanied by several guards as they explored the rest of the castle. Minji was still pressing her hand against her ear from the training session. 

As it turned out, that last taunt really got to Gahyeon. She ran past Yoohyeon and hopped onto the sleeping dragon’s head. Of course, Minji was already deep asleep so she didn't move. Gahyeon proceeded to pump one of Minji’s exposed ears with her most powerful wind spell up to date. The anger in her fueled the spell’s power while also making her disregard ‘proper form’. Suffice to say, Minji jolted up immediately, knocking Gahyeon on her back. 

On one hand, Gahyeon got a close up to Minji’s razor sharp teeth, which would probably appear in her nightmares for days to come. On the other hand, Yoohyeon told her that she was “a little impressed.” The training session ended on that note and Siyeon was free to leave.

The last part of the castle was the artifact room. Antiques and trinkets from another age that could not be placed on the castle grounds were kept here. Sometimes, the queen would host sessions for school children to come here and see history for themselves. 

Of all the fantastical displays in the room, a small, blue earring with 3 little orbs caught Minji attention. She doesn’t heed the voice in her head, which suspiciously sounded like Yoohyeon, telling her to control her greed. But it’s blue, shiny, and reminded her of home. That’s why Minji leaped past the other artifacts, not caring about how she knocked over some priceless stuff. She snatched it off the display on the wall, observing her new prize.

“Hey! You aren’t allowed to touch things in here-” A guard attempted to berate the manakete but Minji shot past him and headed toward the window. Down below on the outdoor walkway, Bora and Yoohyeon were talking to each other. Siyeon watched as Minji smiled that childish smile before the dragon pushed open the window and jumped. 

Siyeon stuck her head out the window to see the commotion down below. Minji managed to hop on Yoohyeon’s back, nearly breaking her Kin’s legs. Siyeon thought that she may have heard a choking sound come out of Yoohyeon but she could be wrong.

“Gah! Minji, you almost killed me!” was what Yoohyeon said but she carefully wrapped her arms around Minji’s legs so that the dragon wouldn’t fall off.

“But Yooh, look!” Minji dangled the earring in front of Yoohyeon.

Surprise passed through Yoohyeon’s eyes. “Where did you find this?” 

“From up there!” Yoohyeon followed Minji’s outstretched finger until she made eye contact with the princess. They gave each other disbelieving looks before the grandmaster started chuckling. 

“Minji, you know you aren’t supposed to take things that aren’t yours.”

“But this is mine. You can feel it too, right?” Yoohyeon observed the earring for a moment, noting that yes, she did feel something from this artifact. The pull was probably stronger for Minji because she was a manakete. The earring glinted in the sunlight for a moment and without either of them knowing, the blues in their eyes intensified for an instant. 

“Okay. I’ll ask about letting you have it.” Minji cheered while Yoohyeon shook her head fondly. 

In front of them, Bora looked on, amused. “It’s like Minji is your 5-year old child or something.”

“By dragon standards, yes, she is a child. By human standards, yes, she is still a child. An annoyingly oversized one at that.” Yoohyeon quipped. Minji proceeded to smack Yoohyeon on top of her head.

“I’m 27 in human standards!”

\--

“Isn’t it uncomfortable walking without shoes?” Siyeon asked randomly. It was just her and Minji hanging out in the meadows again. Yoohyeon was whisked away to another meeting and Siyeon was...not needed anywhere. 

Minji wriggled her toes in the water. “Isn’t it uncomfortable wearing shoes?” She shot back. “You can’t feel anything with shoes on.” Dragons lived on the whims of nature, listening to the voices of the earth that humans could no longer hear. Though, Minji was never the type to really listen. The elders used to say that she was as bad as humans at hearing mother nature’s words.

“But you’ll step into things and hurt yourself if you aren’t wearing shoes. Well, you’re a dragon so I guess you don’t get injured easily from pebbles.”

Siyeon shifted a bit on the log she was sitting on to make herself more comfortable. The sound of the river flowing and the nice weather was lulling her to sleep. She spent most of her days doing the same things, only this time, she wasn’t doing them alone. Guards hardly followed her around anymore due to the manakete’s presence. Minji was definitely better company than those suits of armor anyways. 

Speaking of the manakete, Minji leaned her head on Siyeon’s legs, eyes threatening to flutter shut. “Come on sleepyhead. Let’s head back into the castle if you want to nap.” Minji whined about not wanting to move. She lifted her hands in a grabbing motion.

“No way, Ji. You’re way too heavy for me. Come on, up or I’m going to nap without you.” Minji grumbled before getting up.

“That’s not fair Sing. Nap time is a sacred time and a cuddle buddy is absolutely necessary.”

“Then quit being lazy.”

The soft plush of Siyeon’s bedspread was Minji’s favorite place to be in the entire castle. It was soft, like the clouds in the sky. The room she was provided came with the same bed but it just wasn’t the same. Maybe it was the flowery scent or maybe it was the owner of said scent but whatever it was, Minji loved napping here.

Siyeon didn't know when they grew close enough to be sharing a sleeping space but she found that she was a little happier nowadays. It was less lonely.

“Hey Sing. I have a question.”

“Hm?” Siyeon’s eyes were already halfway closed.

“Why doesn’t anyone here treat you with respect? You’re the eldest princess, right?”

Siyeon felt her blood freeze. Anyone with ears and eyes could tell that something was amiss with Siyeon and the royal family. It was basically an open secret in the kingdom, one that should never be spoken out loud. Minji was a different case though. As Siyeon spent more time with her, it became clear that while Minji fought for the kingdom, the manakete was not interested in any of the kingdom’s politics.

Thus, Siyeon understood that Minji was just asking out of pure curiosity. 

“I am.” Siyeon swallowed, throat drying up quickly. “But I am not the heir to the throne.”

“Why not?” It was the million dollar question.

“I am not a weaver.” It didn't matter how many times Siyeon said this to herself or to other people because it still broke something in her all the same. She couldn’t escape her so-called destiny no matter how much she tried. Her body was just born without any capacity for weaving. She was a bonafide human and nothing more. Her lack of “soul” was the scarlet letter etched onto her chest. 

Minji shifted her head. “Do you need to be a weaver to wear the crown?”

“Being a weaver means strength. The royal family’s head ruler has always been a weaver, regardless of anything. If my mother was a weaver instead of my father, she would have been king. If neither had been a weaver, Gahyeon would have been king the moment she was born.”

“Hm.” was all Minji responded with. She appeared to be thinking about that piece of information. “That seems to be a greater burden than it is worth. Is being a weaver really that important?”

Siyeon giggled at the funny expression on Minji’s face. “Well, weavers enjoy good social status. I don’t think there is a single occupation that doesn’t need weaving or doesn’t enjoy the benefits of weaving.”

“Ehhh, weavers can’t even make good sparring partners. Except Yoohyeonie, but Yoohyeonie is strong.”

Siyeon laughed again, feeling the warmth of the manakete seeping into her skin. “Not everyone is a cool dragon, Minji.”

“Not everyone is just human either, Siyeon. Back in the tribe, everyone had an important role, even something as mundane as carving stones. It’s something that we dragons find annoying but it is a necessity. Someone has to do it. You’ll find your role in life as well. Something that only you can do.”

“Something that only I can do?” Siyeon parroted.

“Yeah, something that only the human named Siyeon can do.”

\--


	2. fake truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not all is as it seems

The king, queen, and Gahyeon all departed from breakfast to the war council room. Siyeon stood up to follow but her father stopped her. “Siyeon, you head out to the gardens and relax. We have much to discuss, I think it’ll spill over into lunch time.” The king suggested.

“But father, I think I should know what is happening as well-”

“Siyeon, you need not worry about these affairs. Just focus on your own things.” The king said gently. Even though there may not have been any bad intentions, Siyeon still felt dismissed and neglected. It wasn’t like she was treated badly on a physical level but there was always that emotional disconnect. When she was a child, she didn't really know the terms “father” and “mother” but rather “nanny”, above all else. Gahyeon’s birth was the start of her relationship with her parents, though that was only because Gahyeon was so attached to her big sister. 

She thought that she learned to get over it but ever since the manakete entered her life, she started to wonder why she wasn’t deserving of more. After all, she was born this way but that doesn’t mean that she has to accept her fate.

“Okay...” Gahyeon casted her worried glance but Siyeon smiled to reassure her she was fine. For the first time in a while, Siyeon was alone for the day. Well, not truly alone as there were still castle guards following her around. But alone as in Minji and Yoohyeon left a few days back to go to the dragon tribe lands. Minji was secretive about the trip so Siyeon didn’t want to pry. 

No matter, Bora was still here and Siyeon promised Minji that she would start trying to find her calling. She was tired of being called a useless princess. Only a replacement should anything ever happen to Gahyeon. An unworthy replacement, as the advisors say, but a replacement nonetheless.

The library was always a good place to start. If she couldn't venture outside the castle wall, she could learn through books. Teacher Han was situated at the front desk with a stack of reference books. 

“Oh? Princess, what brings you here today?”

“Just some light studying. You don’t need to get up, I’ll just wander around.” Siyeon said as Handong was about to get up. The teacher sat back down and nodded. Siyeon walked around, glancing at several books in a disinterested manner. Nothing in particular seemed to stand out to her. 

Walking through the library reminded her of her childhood. The library was like an endless labyrinth of fun. She and Gahyeon used to play hide and seek here when they decided to skip their lessons. The hushed giggles in hiding and the angry stomping of the big, bad adults always brought life to their games. Even when Siyeon wasn’t playing with Gahyeon, she enjoyed reading every book she could get her hands on. She remembered telling her father all about the new things she learned for the day with child-like enthusiasm. It didn't pass her by that her father started listening less and less to her babbling as time went by.

But now, these dusty old shelves meant little to her. Her dull-colored lens made the place less magical. The tall, stained glass windows were like a cage instead of a portal to magical worlds. The books were nothing more than tools to imprint information into. Even her old hiding spots were just old nooks that needed repair instead of a child’s secret hideout. Life just became more complicated as she got older.

“Enough self-pity.” Siyeon slapped palms against her face twice. Coincidently, she stopped at a section describing the nature of dragons. She pulled out a few covers, reading the backside to determine if there was any useful information. Finally, she settled for two interesting books.

The first was about dragon anatomy. It was worth noting that dragons had as much individuality as humans did. Not a single dragon had the same dragonskin nor the same powers. As such, the book only had general assumptions about dragon anatomy like where the heart and brain were located. 

The second was much more interesting because it detailed some accounts as to when dragons began appearing in human affairs. It was always intriguing to Siyeon because dragons were so much more powerful than humans. They could have easily wiped humanity out and coveted all the lands for themselves. So why did they start helping humans in their wars? According to the text, some sort of “event” caused dragons to suddenly come to the human lands. Whatever it was, dragons started taking the form of humans and working alongside them. 

Siyeon stood up in search of her next book. If dragons willingly took the form of humans, then that meant that manaketes are not a natural phenomenon. A thin book between two huge tombs was hidden away in a little crook but Siyeon managed to find it. 

\--

“Siyeon! Did you like the cake I sent to your room yesterday?!” Bora asked, voice booming in the kitchen. 

“Yes, it was delicious. Thank you for the cake.” It really was a great pick-me-up late night snack. Siyeon spent most of her days holed up in the library or her room, reading up on anything and everything. Though no one seemed to notice except Bora and Handong. Nowadays, she has been seeing less and less of her family members. 

“Eh? You guys had cake without me?” A familiar voice said from the entrance of the kitchen. 

“Minji! You’re back!” Bora ushered her over to the table Siyeon was sitting at and placed a leftover slice of cake in front of her. The manakete happily dug into her dessert. 

Another figure entered the room and sat down next to Minji. “Figures this is where you would go first.” Yoohyeon chuckled quietly. The grandmaster waved to the princess and sneered at the chef. Not surprising that she received the finger in return. 

“When did you guys return?”

“Just now. Minji was eager to fly. Speaking of which-”

Minji stood abruptly to grab Siyeon’s hand from across the table, scaring the princess half to death. “Yoohyeon said that we can go flying tonight! Without her!” She said excitedly, spitting cake on the table while she was at it. Bora’s eye twitched at the mess.

Yoohyeon sighed and pulled Minji to sit back down. She used a weave spell to whisk the mess she made into the trash can, much to Bora’s relief. “You really didn’t have to mention that last part...”

“But flying with you sucks. You never let me play.” The manakete pouted. 

“Yeah well, Siyeon is the princess so  _ please _ don’t drop her to her doom.”

“No promises! C’mon Siyeon! We have to prepare for the flight! There’s so many places I want to show you!” Yoohyeon shook her head as she watched her Kin drag the princess out the door.

\--

“Minji’s a handful, as always.” Bora commented. Yoohyeon merely hummed in response. She followed Bora to the back room and closed the door behind her. The back room was where Bora kept all of her recipe books and where she would create new ones. A private lair of sorts.

“So,” the shorter woman started, “how did it go?”

Yoohyeon sagged into the armchair in front of the desk, looking 10 years older at the mention of the trip she just took. Dragging a hand down her face, she sighed tiredly. “It went as expected, I suppose. Minji did what she had to do.”

“I see. And the other thing?”

“Will proceed as planned. No issues there.” The grandmaster lolled her head on the back of the chair, staring up at the dull brown ceiling. She barely slept since she departed the castle so all the fatigue was catching up to her. Her eyes were beginning to droop.

Thighs bracketed her hips and arms wound around her shoulders, hugging her closer to a warm body. Bora moved her face so that they were staring each other directly in the eyes. Brown met blue. Yoohyeon’s eyes were always so mesmerizing. Where Minji’s eyes were like the sky, Yoohyeon’s eyes shimmered like ocean waves on a sunny day. The irises moved as though they were alive and to some extent, that was true. 

Bora leaned in for a long kiss. It wasn’t anything wild like how it usually was but simply to comfort. “How long do we have?” Bora asked after they broke apart. 

“I’ve got a war meeting in 30.” Yoohyeon replied as she pulled off the coat Bora was wearing. She was wearing a simple camisole underneath, the clothing doing nothing to hide her beautiful curves. Suddenly, the room’s atmosphere was getting hotter. 

Bora smirked devilishly at the ocean storm in Yoohyeon’s eyes. And they were because of her.  _ For _ her.“You sure you won’t need to rest before then? You look exhausted.” She teased while easing Yoohyeon out of her cloak and slipping a hand under the shirt. 

The younger woman grunted as she reversed their positions on the chair, putting her on top. She brought Bora in for a bruising kiss while her free hand stroked the side of Bora’s waist. “Someone’s eager.” Yoohyeon chuckled when Bora pushed herself further into Yoohyeon’s lips. 

“It wasn’t fun without you around.”

“You mean it wasn’t fun because no one was here to top you?” As expected, Bora smacked her hard in the shoulder for her cheekiness. It killed the mood a bit but Bora didn't let that deter her.

“Shut the fuck up and kiss me already.”

\--

“Min-Minji!” Siyeon screamed across the open air. Minji was flying incredibly fast and Siyeon was struggling to keep herself on the saddle. “I’m going to die!”

Minji laughed and slowed down, floating idly in the air with her wings spread out.  _ Why couldn’t she do that sooner? _ Siyeon complained in her head. After taking a few deep breaths to settle her stomach, Siyeon was finally able to look around. It was cold and they were high up in the sky. The princess would probably catch a cold tomorrow but none of that mattered to her.

The only way she could describe what she felt was that it was like sitting in the center of the universe. The stars were splayed across the night sky canvas, painting light over endless darkness. Below, her island kingdom looked so insignificant in comparison to the vast universe. If she squinted in the distance, she could make out a few mountains and lands that she has never gotten the chance to see before. 

“Wow.” Siyeon was in awe. “I can’t believe you get to see this kind of view everyday.”

Minji made a noise and began descending to the ground. They landed on the beach on the far side. Hardly anyone comes here because of the ravine blocking the main path here. Siyeon can’t even remember the last time she was allowed to go to the beach. 

“How was it?” Minji asked after she reverted to her human form. 

“Amazing!” Siyeon exclaimed. “So amazing. I wish I could do that every day.” It was an experience that she doesn’t think she’ll ever forget. She sat down on the sand, not caring about her clothes getting soiled. Minji plopped down next to her with her hands behind her. 

“Maybe you can, one day.”

They lapse into a comfortable silence, enjoying the sounds of the ocean. It was broken by Minji. “So, what has princess Siyeon been up to?”

“Studying. Lots of studying. I thought about what you said so I started searching for...myself, I guess.”

“Did you find anything?”

“Nothing for myself but I did read up on dragons.”

“Oh? What did they say about us?”

“That you’re big, bad, and scary.” They share a laugh at that. “Jokes aside, I did learn more about manaketes and how you place part of your powers within a dragonstone. Though it didn't say why you choose to do that. Dragons take pride in being powerful, right?”

Minji flopped onto her back, staring up at the sky. She glanced at Siyeon, urging the princess to do the same. Once she did, Minji snuggled closer and held her hand. “Yes, we do.”

“Then why…?” 

“Why? Because of the Madness.” For the first time ever, Siyeon had a glimpse of darkness in those sky blue orbs.

Dragons are the paragon of power. When they dawdle in it for too long, the enormous power begins to take over their minds, driving them to absolute Madness. And when that time comes, as it does for all dragons, it is the responsibility of the family, of the tribe, to put down the beast. No dragon has ever returned from losing their minds.

However, a dragon’s pride is something that was not to be trifled with. Many dragons refuse to transfer their powers into dragonstones and reside in a human vessel. Manaketes are deemed as lesser dragons due to their constantly weakened state. But it is the only way to preserve their lifespan without succumbing to the Madness. Without becoming manaketes, dragons would have gone extinct.

Minji recently bore witness to such stubbornness. She remembered the feeling of sinking her teeth into a warm neck. It belonged to someone she deeply respected and that was why she had the responsibility to put him down. Yoohyeon, her mother, her brother, and her tribesmen looked on as witnesses to the ritual. 

“Madness...” Siyeon fell into deep thought. Dragons weren’t the only ones that are susceptible to Madness. Humans were just as capable, otherwise this impending war wouldn’t even be an issue. The Madness just manifested in different ways, Siyeon supposed. 

“Anything else you’re curious about?” Siyeon noticed her attempt to defect the topic and she let her have it. 

“Yeah, actually, how did Yoohyeon become your Kin? I thought dragons only chose Kinsmen among themselves. None of the books mentioned a human and a dragon.”

“Yooh saved my life, once. That's why I follow her and serve this kingdom. To repay my debt to her.” 

Siyeon nodded her head in understanding and then sat up in shock. “Wait, you’re saying that you’ve been fighting all these years just to repay Yoohyeon?!”

Minji sat up as well and tilted her head like a confused puppy. “Yes? What Yoohyeon did for me warranted it. If Yoohyeon wants to fight in this war, then I will do just that. If Yoohyeon wants me to kill people, then I will do so without hesitation. This is a form of dragon’s pride, if you will.”

“You would do anything?”

“I already have. She is my Kin and I would do anything for her, just as she has for me.” The shock of their relationship wore off for Siyeon. Truth to be told, she was envious of their devotion to each other. The closest she had ever felt to such a thing was for Gahyeon. She would still do anything to make Gahyeon happy, even if they’ve grown apart. It made her wonder if Minji and Yoohyeon were ever romantically engaged- 

Siyeon slapped her hands on her blushing cheeks. It was none of her business and she doesn’t even know where the thought came from. “Siyeon? Does that make you uncomfortable?” Siyeon turned to look into sky blue eyes. There was nothing but open confusion in those eyes. Minji never lied nor did she ever try to deceive her, one of the things that Siyeon really liked about her. But this time, there was something unsettling her. A gut feeling that someone was amiss. Minji was somehow different tonight, though Siyeon couldn’t put her finger on why. She hoped that she was just being weird for no reason.

Dragons are not humans, no matter how much a manakete appeared to be like one. Siyeon reminded herself that there were just things that humans cannot comprehend about other species. Hell, humans can’t even comprehend the irrationality of other humans.

“No. Thank you for entertaining my questions.” Minji searched her eyes, opening her mouth to say more but then closing it. 

“Okay. Let’s head back to the castle. It’s dinner time.”

\--

A knock on her door woke her up from sleep. Siyeon painfully peeled her eyes open, squinting at the windows to check the time. The knock resounded again so Siyeon stood up to answer it. 

“Too early?” Yoohyeon asked as she watched Siyeon rub her eye with the back of her hand. 

“Yeah...”

“Sorry. Minji and I are heading into town to check out a few things. Want to come with?” The woke Siyeon up.

“What?! Am I even allowed to go?!” Siyeon figured that Yoohyeon must’ve been pulling her leg. The king and queen prevented her and Gahyeon from going outside the castle walls for a reason. 

“Yes. Minji insisted that you come. Something about helping you find what you want to do?” The taller woman leaned on the doorframe with an amused smile on her face. Siyeon seemed to be very excited about going into town and she immediately left Yoohyeon alone to get ready. “Be ready in 20 minutes!” She called out behind her as she shut the door. 

She stalked over to the door across the hallway and opened it without knocking. “Hyeonie, do I really have to wear this? Can’t I just wear the usual stuff? It’s so uncomfortable.”

  
  


Yoohyeon smiled wryly at the complaining manakete. It was rare to see Minji in a dress. It made her look human and very much like a young girl. “It’ll be a nice experience for you to go out into town in regular clothes. Learn what it is like to live a normal life.”

“Ooh, will we get to eat more human food?”

“As much as you want.” Yoohyeon chuckled at the cheer Minji let out. Minji often said that Yoohyeon treated her very well but from Yoohyeon’s point of view, Minji wasn’t hard to please. Food was all it took to get a 5 star review from Minji.

“Speaking of food, you smell a lot like Bora’s kitchen.” Minji said, coming around the tall grandmaster to sniff at her neck. 

“U-um yeah, we were discussing a few things.” Yoohyeon could feel her neck heating up but she quickly changed the subject to save herself from further embarrassment. “Let’s head into town now!”

\--

Yoohyeon picked up a few fabrics and supplies from some corner shops. Meanwhile, Siyeon was amazed to actually be outside the castle walls. The town was bursting with activity. Children were playing about the streets while vendors advertised their products loudly. One even got Minji to buy a snack from him. It was as if a war wasn’t coming. 

Hardly anyone on the streets even recognized Siyeon. Those that did mercifully averted their eyes. 

“This town’s pretty interesting. Everyone here seems happy.” Minji commented after taking a bite of her bread. She held the rest over to Yoohyeon for her to take a bite as well. 

“Yeah. Father and mother made sure that no one lived in poverty. Someday, it’ll be Gahyeon’s turn as well.” Siyeon was proud of how prosperous their island kingdom had become. Her father used to tell stories of how much poverty and famine wrecked the island before he became king. The previous king led the kingdom into disaster by getting suckered into unfair contracts with neighboring kingdoms. 

Yoohyeon stopped to regard the princess with a strange look. “...Would you like to go across the waters?”

“Huh?” It took awhile for Siyeon to register what Yoohyeon was asking. “You mean to another kingdom?”

“Yes.” Yoohyeon continued to walk towards the pier where Siyeon had her first flight. Minji skipped happily, making Siyeon feel a little reassured from Yoohyeon's weird behavior. 

“Okay, sure, as long as we aren’t breaching any treaties. But how are we going to get there?” Siyeon got her answer when Minji smiled brightly. Yoohyeon placed a spell on Minji’s dress to prevent it from being damaged. She transformed into her dragon form in a snap, lowering herself for her passengers. 

As they flew over the ocean, Siyeon took in everything, even almost falling off the saddle at one point from how far forward she was leaning to see the waters. The sun was warm on her back, the wind caressing her skin.

The flight ended on a short note, to Siyeon’s disappointment. Yoohyeon helped her off and pulled out a black cloak for Minji. This town that they stopped in was nothing like her island kingdom. In fact, it was the total opposite. 

The sign at the entrance said that this was a mining town. But the homes on the unpaved roads were dilapidated and poorly holding up. People lingered on the streets, some sleeping against the side of the houses, others wandering for some semblance of food. The only thing growing here are brown weeds. Even the trees were completely destroyed. The sickening smell of death permeated in the air. No one was working.

Siyeon felt sick to her stomach. The trio didn't step inside the town. They just observed from the outside in silence. Eventually, Minji grew bored of standing around and turned to leave. The flight back was quiet and not as magical after seeing that town. Siyeon never imagined that that would be her first experience away from home. She couldn't understand why Minji and Yoohyeon took her there, of all places. 

Later, when they head to their rooms to retire, Yoohyeon left her with one last message. “Think about how your father was able to provide for all the people here.”

\--

_ “I would do anything for her, just as she has for me.” _

Siyeon ran through the halls, dodging arms that tried to grab at her. She was sweating and panting, not used to running for long periods of time. But that didn't matter now. Fire spread through the castle grounds, threatening to burn everything in its path. 

The double doors of the throne room were in sight and she had to jump over some rubble to get to them. The doors were blocked off by something on the other side so Siyeon rammed her shoulder against it. A few more attempts broke through the door, making her stumble to the ground. But what she saw after was... 

Her father’s neck was in between hands that she held just last night. Her mother’s limp body was pinned to the holstry behind the throne. Blood dripped down from where a spear struck her in the stomach.

_ “If Yoohyeon wants me to kill people, then I will do so without hesitation.” _

_ Gahyeon? Where is Gahyeon?!  _ Siyeon’s eyes shot around frantically, finally landing on her sister’s prone form. Blood was dripping down her arm but Captain Lee was defending her from the grandmaster. 

“What…? What is going on here?!” Siyeon scrambled to stand, to try to comprehend the entire situation. 

Yoohyeon stopped her spell from forming and relaxed her fighting stance. She turned to the princess with an unfamiliar look in her eyes. The Yoohyeon that Siyeon got to know was generally happy and bright but this Yoohyeon was someone entirely different. Or was this who she always was but Siyeon didn't know? 

“It’s exactly what it looks like, Siyeon.” Yoohyeon said calmly. She even turned her back to Yubin but both of them knew that Yoohyeon was powerful enough to counter an attack from the back. “Though you really shouldn’t be here.” As if to intimidate Siyeon, Yoohyeon beckoned the spear holding her mother up towards her. The spear floated out of existence, causing the body of the queen to drop on the floor in a heap. 

The king screamed and kicked his legs out, clawing at the arm on his neck. Minji only squeezed harder but not enough to snap his neck. As she held her father’s life in her hands, she stared at Siyeon. 

“Hey, Minji...you have to stop. You’re going to kill him...” Siyeon tried to reason with what she hoped was an acceptable smile on her face. Nothing was making sense. She must be trapped in some sort of nightmare where her friends are killing her family members. That had to be it. “Yoohyeon, I don’t understand.” She tried again when Minji made no movements.

Yoohyeon sighed and approached the princess. She stood directly beside her and faced towards the throne. “Minji, kill the king.” The king struggled once more but to no avail. The strength of a dragon even in humanoid form was superior to a human’s. 

Her father’s choking sounds snapped her out of her shock. “Minji! Please, stop!” Siyeon ran to the manakete and gripped her arm that was holding the king in the air. Minji didn’t budge but she didn’t look away from Siyeon’s pleading eyes either. “Yoohyeon! You have to tell her to stop!”

“Sorry, Siyeon. But I’ve waited far too long for this.” Yoohyeon nodded and Minji took that as the signal to finish the kill. Siyeon desperately clung to Minji’s arm, trying to pry her fingers off her father’s neck. But it was all in vain. Blood streamed down the holes where the manakete’s fingers pierced skin. Warm liquid splattered onto Siyeon’s hands and face but she didn't care. She had to keep trying.

She hadn’t even realized the tears that were beginning to trickle down her cheeks. Why did Yoohyeon have to do this? Why did Minji have to do this?

_ “To repay my debt to her.” _

Siyeon had already known the answer. Minji told her outright. 

She screamed.

\--

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Found some inspiration & DC comeeeebaaaaccckkkkkk let's goooooo

**Author's Note:**

> To be Continued...or not....


End file.
